AUTOMATED BUSINESS SYSTEM AND METHOD OF VENDING AND RETURNING A CONSUMER PRODUCT
System and method of dispensing disc-based media and other consumer products. A user can interact with an automated business system to select disc-based media for rental and/or purchase. The automated business system can retrieve the selection from the interior of the automated business system and dispense the selection through a port to the user. The automated business system can retrieve the selection from the port in a return process.
1 . A method of returning disc-based media to a disc-based media system, the method comprising:
inserting the disc-based media in a port of the disc-based media system without regard to orientation of the disc-based media.
2 . The method of claim 1 further comprising automatically detecting the presence of the disc-based media at the port.
3 . The method of claim 1 further comprising reading a RFID tag on the disc-based media.
4 . The method of claim 3 further comprising comparing the read information to a transaction database to verify that the correct disc-based media has been returned.
5 . The method of claim 1 further comprising printing a receipt upon request.
6 . The method of claim 1 further comprising retrieving the disc-based media from the port and positioning the disc-based media in a storage location.
7 . A method of returning disc-based media to a disc-based media system, the method comprising:
placing the disc-based media in a receptacle in the disc-based media system; and
automatically recognizing the disc-based media in the receptacle.
8 . The method of claim 7 further comprising automatically detecting the presence of the disc-based media in the receptacle.
9 . The method of claim 7 further comprising reading a RFID tag on the disc-based media.
10 . The method of claim 9 further comprising comparing the read information to a transaction database to verify that the correct disc-based media has been returned.
11 . The method of claim 7 further comprising printing a receipt upon request.
12 . The method of claim 7 further comprising retrieving the disc-based media from the receptacle and positioning the disc-based media in a storage location in the disc-based media system.
13 . A method of adding disc-based media to a disc-based media system, the method comprising:
inserting the disc-based media in a receptacle in the disc-based media system;
automatically reading a radio frequency tag on the disc-based media; and
positioning the disc-based media in a storage position, the disc-based media available for selection by a user.
14 . The method of claim 13 further comprising downloading one of a sound file and a video file associated with the added disc-based media.
15 . The method of claim 13 further comprising accessing a remote server to download one of a sound file and a video file associated with the added disc-based media.